Then identify two chunks of language (word, phrase, sentence, or paragraph) from the reading.
•The first should be a piece of language that is significant to you personally and why it is significant to you.
•The second should be a piece of language that you believe is significant to the overall meaning of the work (and why).
•Then comment any two of your classmates' posts.
•Please complete your post by 7:00 am on Thursday.
The language within these two short stories that resonates with me personally is on the last page of “Frago”. When everyone was eating cobbler in the DFAC, the main character was noticing how Dyer wasn’t touching his cobbler. “Sit back down, I’m across from Dyer and he’s looking at his ice cream melting into the cobbler. No good. I put a spoon in his hand. You’ve got to do the basic things” (27). I think that this short paragraph shows how sometimes the little things are what will ignite a change, and what will help people feel that they can move forward. When people that are close to you aren’t doing so well, you often will notice that and wonder how you can help them. Certainly, with the circumstances in my life currently, I see a few of my family members in particular are having tough days. The best thing for me to do is to help them pick up the pieces that fell away, even if all I can do is put a spoon in their hands. Sometimes the basic things are what helps people put the spark back in themselves. That way, they can try to leave the terrible things that may have happened in the back of their mind, and not in the center of their attention.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I feel the sentence that most represents the meaning of this novel is within the first short story, “Redeployment”. While Sergeant Price is driving home with his wife from the base, he notices how he is able to focus on something other than his experiences. When describing the steps he takes while driving, he says, “You can get through anything one step at a time” (8). This small story shows how difficult it is for military combat personnel to submerge themselves back into civilian life (post war involvement). For example, he talks about how his mindset remains in the idea that he is defending himself and his men, even when he walks the safe streets of home. Also, by taking things one step at a time, he acknowledges that he can get through the adjusting phase, and feel more comfortable being home. The sentence also applies to the next short story, “Frago”, where the Second Squad goes through the protocol to search a building. They take it one step at a time, moving through each room with a particular step by step order, and then assess the damage done afterwards. Even though they saw terrible things, and some had to take certain action in the moment, they were able to get through the process.
I really like what you had to say about taking things one step at a time, and how that systematic mindset can help people to get through a tough adjustment. I know that I've used that tactic before when I'm stressed or frustrated, and it has helped immensely. It can be a lot easier to simply narrow your focus to one step at a time, rather than try to process the whole situation for what it is—especially if that situation is as extreme and difficult to deal with as Sergeant Price's. I also like how you connected this concept to both stories, and tied them together nicely.
DeleteI liked what you said about Dyer and Frago, and I agree that it is important to help people do the simple things when they are struggling. As you mentioned, Dyer was out of it, and he needed someone to help him get back on track, not by talking about it, but by doing the simple things with him. The same is true for Sergeant Price's journey home. I think he says on the way home that it is easier for him to think of things step by step because if he does not, he tends to focus on the most traumatic things. Even when driving, he finds that it is easier to concentrate at going one block at a time.
DeleteI really liked what you said about taking one step at a time, I also found that significant and wrote about it in my response. I like how you took the approach of this quote being an overall theme and talking about how him taking one step at a time has to do with many aspects of his life, at home and in war. It's interesting how much he appreciated driving home from the base to be able to keep his mind off of other things and the fact that things seemed different when he returned home. Overall I really liked the approach you took on this response.
DeleteFor my quote that discussed the potential meaning of the book, I used one that showed the difficulty in transition between coming home from war and then returning to a normal civilian lifestyle. I think what you mentioned about "taking one step at a time" is important not only as a theme in the book, but it's also a good tip for all people. This book pieces together a lot of people going through very different situations, just like in real life, but anyone can get through anything using this idea of one step at a time.
DeleteA piece of language that I believe to be significant to me personally is a passage from "Redeployment": "I think you take in too much information to store so you just forget, free up brain space to take in everything about the next moment that might keep you alive. And then you forget that moment, too, and focus on the next. And the next. And the next" (13). I find this to be personally significant, as I can understand this feeling on a much smaller, low-risk scale. I think a milder version of this moment-to-moment awareness can apply to stressful situations in life that might occur. I know that when I'm dealing with a nerve-wracking set of circumstances, even though the consequences don't involve me getting wounded or killed, I tend to think from one second to the next, and forget everything else, because my focus is so intense. This, I believe, is a basic survival skill that humans have had for a long time, to help keep us alive. Of course, in modern society, we don't face the same threats that we did as hunter gatherers, but I still think this instinct has adapted to serve us in other situations. I know I am familiar with the feeling the narrator describes, though certainly not to such an extreme.
ReplyDeleteA piece of language that I believe to be significant to the overall meaning of the work is a quote from the narrator in "Frago": "Your Marines see you fucked up over this, then they start thinking about how fucked up it all is. And we don't have time to deal with that" (23). I think this speaks to the nature of deployed service, and relates to the above passage from "Redeployment" in the sense that these men are required to constantly be on full alert, and fully focused on the task at hand, no matter what. If they let their guard down, they put their lives at risk, and could wind up never going back home. I also believe this to be important because it shows that there isn't the time or space to process shock and trauma while deployed. Everything must be set aside in order to make brain space for alertness, preparedness, and instinctual survival skill—so much so, that the essential processing and grieving of traumatic events is put off until the return home, after that trauma has been allowed to fester.
I liked how you talked about the quote about moving from one thing to the next. I agree that when you are in stressful or complicating situations this is a really beneficial tactic to have at hand. It's interesting how you related it to this being a "basic survival skill that humans have had for a long time, to help keep us alive." It's true that this is more important than most people understand. And nice way to finish it by touching on that you also feel this way, I agree!
DeleteI really like how you brought in the fact that the men don't necessarily have time to dwell on the terrible things they have been witness to, or even done. They have to focus on everything around them, and put aside all their thoughts and feelings that are not relevant to the present. It makes someone wonder how long they put off these feelings, and how traumatized they truly are on the inside. This goes to show the severity of their situation when deployed, and just how mentally demanding it can be.
ReplyDeleteThe language that is significant to me is in Frago, when the platoon goes into the hospital to check on Sweet. Dyer, who shot the man who shot Sweet, asks the Doc if the man he shot is okay. The narrator wants to protect Dyer, "I try to catch Doc's eye so I can signal, Don't tell him the hajji's dead, but it's not a problem. Doc's like, I have no idea which one you shot"(25). Although my life is nowhere near as serious as the lives the Marines live, I understand that there are times in life when we have to lie to someone to protect them. If a friend is struggling after something goes wrong, it's important to pick them up in some way. What has been done cannot change, so it's important that they're doing better going forward.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that I found important to the overall work was how the Marines were ready to shoot people, but not dogs. The narrator writes, "Maybe, I don't know, you're prepared to kill people. You practice on man-shaped targets so you're ready. Of course, we got targets they call "dog targets." Target shape Delta. But they don't look like fucking dogs"(3). This shows how unprepared someone can be for war, even though they've been through all the training needed. There is no amount of training someone can have when it actually comes down to killing someone. The consequences of that are felt during the rest of their lives, and some people never get over it. This especially happens when it comes to dogs. Although dog lives are worth less than the lives of people, you do not think you will have to kill dogs when you go into a war zone. This leaves a profound effect on the narrator, and he is still shook when he has to kill his own dog.
I think your idea about never being prepared for war is interesting. It is shown through the dogs here, and the soldiers not being ready to shoot them. It reminds me of the beginning of the article we read, where the man training the Marines is questioning the recruits about their moral decisions. In the article, it says how the training officer was showing them that there is more to war than what one expects when they sign up. And the dog shooting does not seem like a major part of their time, but it is something that the soldiers did not expect, and so they are not prepared for it. And killing people is something they train for, yet training cannot always prepare you for the real thing. War is a situation where you can train for however long you want, but you will never be ready.
DeleteI agree with you that there are instances in everyday life where one has to decide whether it is best for someone else to know the truth. In “FRAGO,” the narrator wants the truth to remain hidden and I think he probably made the right decision for Dyer’s conscience. However, in life it is often hard to know whether or not you made the right decision.
DeleteThe second quote you chose is also interesting. The narrator is discussing how he was caught off guard when he entered the war even though he had trained to kill people beforehand. I think both of the stories discuss how training does not fully prepare you for the heat of war.
I like how you think the bit with Dyer in the hospital makes a good connection to life. I think it's important how you mention that, despite lying not always being the most "goody-two-shoes" thing to do, it's important to do in situations like these. I think that the narrator trying to cover the death of the hajji was very important because who knows how Dyer would have felt if he received that news. It's later shown that he was glum at dinner with the narrator that night, but I wonder if that attitude would have been any different if the narrator and doctor hadn't lied. The way we've seen the men in the platoons care about their comrades so much is remarkable, and gives an eye-opener to the brotherhood that comes with the atrocities of war. I think that the narrator making this judgement call to lie was the better thing to do, for he didn't want to see his "brother" any worse.
DeleteI liked the personal connection you made about sometimes having to lie to protect someone. No one ever wants to lie, but sometimes the truth is simply too much for someone to bear, it is better for them to go through life not knowing. It can save them from a lot of pain and regret. Like you, I have not been in as severe a situation as the characters in the story, but at times, I have lied to my friends, or my little brother, because in some moments, I know the truth will hurt them even more than they are hurting at that moment.
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ReplyDeleteA quote I found significant was, “Then Dyer’s standing there, off to the side. He’s still in my flight suit, and he’s swimming in it. I put a hand on his shoulder and say, You did good today, PFC. You took out the guy that shot Sweet” (25). Here, the officer in charge shows that he cares for others. He knows that it will really hurt Dyer if he knows that he killed a man, so the whole time, he makes sure Dyer does not know. He instead tells Dyer that he did the right thing, and tries to comfort him with words of encouragement. I found this powerful because it shows humanity in a place full of death and people hurting each other.
ReplyDeleteA passage that seemed significant to the book was, “He wagged his tail. And I froze. Only one other time I hesitated like that” (14), and then he goes into a story about killing a man hiding in their cesspit during the war. This passage seems important because it shows that the effects of war are harsh and never over. He is back to a civilian life, but he is no longer a normal civilian. He has seen war, and it has scarred him. Many of his actions now will remind him of wartime memories. Shooting his dog he thinks about the man in the cesspit and the dogs he shot in Iraq. Shopping he thinks about going into cities in a war zone. I think that throughout the story, there will be a theme of the brutal things seen in a war zone, and how it changes people.
I like how at the end of your response you highlight two very important parts mentioned in the first chapter: how the soldier is reminded of the man in the cesspit when preparing to put down his dog, and how he feels like he's in a war zone when going shopping in the city. I agree with you on how this could be an emerging theme with how things the characters see in the war zone will come back to haunt them in some way after their discharge. I think that Klay does a good job in putting these references here at the start of the book so readers are exposed to the sort of PTSD that affects soldiers who comes back from war. The book has seemed to highlight important characteristics of soldiers in the first two chapters, so I wonder if it was deliberate to pack these things in and possibly set a tone.
DeleteI really liked your point that the effects of war never end. Even coming home to what should be a safe environment, a veteran can never truly feel safe when everyday for an extended period of time, they were trained to never feel safe. People cannot just snap out of that. People remember the things that affected them most in life, and for soldiers, that is war. They will always carry the memories and experiences with them, no matter where they go.
DeleteYou make a really good point about how the effects of the war last a long time after soldiers return to civilian life, and that they experience different triggers throughout their adjustment. I definitely agree with you in that this will likely be a prevalent theme in this story, and I assume that it will crop up in future short stories in different ways.
ReplyDeleteI really thought the passage about him talking about the level of alertness he needs to get through civilian life was powerful. When he talks about people who don't go through the stuff that he went through, he feels a little jealous, but I don't think he would feel that way if he had been fully healed from his time in war. I think you're also right about how freezing brings back bad memories. In my opinion, he only worries about freezing because it may come up in a more important situation. When he froze when killing the dog or the man in the cesspit, it did not have an effect on him or on anyone else, but it could have come up in a delicate situation.
DeleteA passage I found to be personally significant was when the soldiers are greeting their families upon arriving in America. The father of Eicholtz, a man Price became friends with who was killed in action. Eicholtz’s dad welcomes all the marines he sees, even though many do not know who he is. Price shows his fear in facing this man, saying, “I knew I should say something, but I didn’t” (7). The idea that it is easier to run from challenging situations then to own up to them resonates with me. There have been many instances in my life where I just tried to avoid situations that made me anxious. Despite the fact that it is easier to turn to more comfortable situations, facing challenges is important. I suspect that Eicholtz’s dad would have loved to hear from somebody who knew his son well.
ReplyDeleteA quote that I think is important to the overall meaning of the book is: “So that’s orange. And then you go shopping in Wilmington, unarmed, and you think you can get back down to white? It’ll be a long fucking time before you get down to white” (13). Price describes white as the mindset of civilians, and orange as the mindset of most people who serve in the military. Orange is a different way of thinking, where you observe everything, knowing that it could be the difference between life and death. Regular people cannot understand what it is like to have their life constantly on the line, and people who serve in the military have a hard time readjusting their mindset to that of a civilian. Redeployment provides everyday citizens with a glimpse of what life is like for Marines, serving to slightly lessen the divide.
I liked how you tied in a personal connection to how Price was feeling at the time. I definitely agree with you when you say that sometimes it’s easier to run away or avoid a situation you don’t feel comfortable in. I think that almost everyone is guilty of this at some point in time, as it affects many people. Showing that it happens to a stereotypically tough and hardened veteran shows how they struggle with similar things as well. I also like how you talk about the orange mindset and the difficulties it presents to soldiers returning home.
DeleteI too am someone who will run away from challenges that could be unfavorable for me, and I know that everyone does the same thing at some point in their lives. Like you said, even if it is easier to turn to the things that are more comforting than those that challenge our being, it is immensely important to face challenges. If not, then they could follow us around for a long time, and sit in the back of our minds. I wish that when Sergeant Price had seen Eicholtz's father, that he would have at least talked to him. Most likely, the fact that he decided to walk away would stick with him unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteA piece that I found significant to me and in general was in the chapter “Redeployment,” when they were all arriving back home. It was when they were driving a back home and he was processing “one step at a time. You can get through anything one step at a time” (8). I felt that this was significant to the passage and how he was feeling, yet also significant to me. This is something that I feel underlies in every situation. In stressful, complicating, or time consuming situations this is the best mindset to have. So it’s more of an everyday phrase that I can connect to because I feel myself remembering this throughout my day, especially now during this pandemic. The best thing to think about is just taking it all one step at a time, because it’s new for everyone and we are all figuring it out together.
ReplyDeleteThe second piece that I found was in the chapter “Frago.” “Hey, at least we saved those guys’ lives… Except I’ve got their eyes in my head. I don’t think they wanted to be saved” (23). I think that this is significant to the passage because of the deeper message he is trying to portray here. That we may be doing what we think is the right thing and best for someone, yet can end up hurting more than helping. It’s about seeing the world from a different perspective, and in this case war. You have to realize when someone's time is up, even if you don’t want it to be. This relates to a theme in the first chapter when he has to shoot his own dog, Vicar. He loved that dog more than anything, and didn’t want some careless vet to take his life, he thought it wasn’t meaningful. He realized what was best for his dog, even if it wasn’t what he wanted.
I like the first quote you chose, and agree with you that it is relevant to many facets of everyday life. Whether it is getting through a tough assignment, a sporting event, or, like in “Redeployment,” returning to civilian life, challenges are easier to tackle in manageable steps. I like the comparison you draw to life in today’s world. The global pandemic has disrupted everyone’s life, some more than others, but the world just has to react one step at a time. You also make a good point about your second quote. I think people join the army wanting to do good in the world. However, in situations such as occurred in “FRAGO,” it is hard to know what the right thing to do is. Should they have saved the men who were ready for death?
DeleteI agree with your thoughts on your quote about taking things one step at a time. When I feel like I have a lot to do, if I can just do one thing, and then just do another thing, it is much easier to get everything done. Also, with things separated into steps, every small step you take gives you a sense of accomplishment, rather than not feeling you have completed something until you have completed everything. And it is an idea that can translate across many circumstances, from war, to quarantine, to everyday life, which makes it an accessible idea for everyone.
DeleteI totally agree with you when talked about how sometimes we can enter situations trying to help; doing what is perceived as the right thing, but sometimes that ends up backfiring and we only hurt the situation. I also wrote about how this section connects to the larger theme of different perspectives. I think that it was an interesting choice by the author to include this bit about how perhaps the two men were ready to die, as it further plays into the differentiating viewpoints everyone has.
DeleteAn excerpt from the first two chapters of the book Redeployment that really struck me on a personal level came at the end of the second chapter, "Frago," when the narrator (the Sergeant) is in a dining hall with Dyer. Despite Dyer saying that he's "not hungry," the Sergeant tells him to "get his ass up and get some fucking cobbler," (26) which may not be the most polite way of putting it but it goes to show that the Sergeant is looking out for Dyer's well-being; an act that displays how much soldiers actually care about one another when deployed. The same goes for a few sentences later when the Sergeant "puts a spoon in his hand" because "you've got to d the basic things" (27). Dyer had had a pretty rough day, probably one of many he'd faced in his tenure, but the Sergeant wouldn't let him keep being dragged down so he encouraged him to eat. I really think this is a moving part of the work we've read so far because it shows the brotherhood that's created between the soldiers and how little "rifts" like the one here will ever overcome this brotherhood.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, an excerpt that I think is important in defining the meaning of the work we have read so far is when Sergeant Price returns home from his service. When he is about to leave and be reunited with his wife, Price has to turn in his rifle. Price says "when I got to the window and handed in my rifle, though, it brought me up short. That was the first time I'd been separated from it in months. I didn't know where to rest my hands" (6). It's almost as if Price is becoming overwhelmed with a powerful sense of loss over turning in his rifle. A soldier's rifle is something that helps keep them going; something they cling on to as part of their life force, knowing that without it they're a sitting duck. I think that when Price turns it in here it could be reminding him of how many things around him he lost because of war. He lost Eicholtz, and probably others. He probably lost possessions. And finally he loses his rifle. The rifle here conveys a bit of symbolism to the whole of those who go to war, and how they lose someone or something. I think this "loss" could make way for an emerging theme in the book—how soldiers are affected when they have to "lose" someone or something.
One quote that I found particularly interesting was in “Redeployment” when they were shopping in Wilmington. “I think you take in too much information to store so you just forget, free up brain space to take in everything about the next moment that might keep you alive. And then you forget that moment, too, and focus on the next. And the next. And the next. For seven months” (13). The reason that found this quote to be significant is because it highlights the intense pressure those people are under almost constantly while on missions during deployment. Their entire brain and way of thinking has to be so sharp and ready-to-go that it takes a huge toll on how you perceive things, especially if your life is on the line. When you’re in that sort of mindset for so long you become used to operating under that structure. I think that this quote was a good description of what it must feel like as a returning soldier to try and “re-wire” how his brain has been operating. Something that found to be significant to the overall work was a quote from “Frago” when talking about the two people tied to the chair that they saved. “I didn’t see any tears of joy when we burst in, M4s at the ready. They were dead men. Then we doped them up, CASE-VAC’d them out, and they had to live again” (24). This speaks to the overall theme of the book by highlighting other people’s point of view. This entire book is written from multiple people’s perspectives, because there are so many people that have different experiences. This little section connects to that by highlighting how those two people might have felt. Even though they had been saved by these “heroic Americans”, they didn’t feel like they had been rescued because they had been through so much, they were just wanting and waiting for death. Of course we don’t actually know if that’s what they were really thinking, but having the narrator mention that reminded me of how everyone sees situations from a different perspective.
ReplyDeleteYour first quote is similar to the one I used in that it describes the transition from war back home. While there are many things that I can imagine being difficult to adjust back to, no longer having to worry about every second being in a life or death situation would be tough. I believe the author is trying to suggest the lack of help for veterans and people of war once they return home. For many, they are thrown back into society and normal living without much assistance. Some of these events and habits they've developed can stick around and their brains need to be completely "re-wired" like you said, which can take time.
DeleteI agree with how you said they are always under incredible pressure, and I wrote about that as well. I like how you mention rewiring the brain because it is all true. They have to learn how to live under the pressure for months, and when they finally return home how tough it must be to realize that no one is out to kill you. In your second quote I also find it interesting how you talk about others perspectives. I wonder if they decline help, because they are mad at the Americans. I would be mad if someone came to invade my country, even if it was to fight for me.
DeleteI agree with you that the intense pressure and use of brain power as a soldier must take a toll. The rewiring of the brain must be extremely difficult. Going from something you have been doing out of necessity to going back to living “normal” is something that would be incredibly difficult. Using up that brain space for an entire deployment must be exhausting. When someone comes home from that they are still using that part of their brain and that must be exhausting.
DeleteA quote that spoke to me personally was when Sargeant Price has returned home and there is a general understanding between him and his wife that their dog has to be put down. Rather than having a vet do it, Price wants to do it himself, telling his wife, “You mean you’ll pay some asshole a hundred bucks to kill my dog...That’s not how you do it. It’s on me” (13-14). Regardless of what people believe is the correct way to handle this situation, Price is clearly showing his connection and friendship with Vicar, and believes that he himself should be with him during his final moments, and help to lead Vicar to a better place. While I can’t say I would choose the same actions, I completely understand where Price is coming from, and more specifically, the tight bond he has with his dog. No matter how it happens, putting the dog down is not the outcome the family wants, but it is what’s needed, and being able to somewhat control how it happens and to put him down in a guaranteed pain-free way like Price chose brings satisfactory closure to Price and to me.
ReplyDeleteAnother quote that I think is more significant to the overall meaning of the book is also in the first short story, and it is when Sargeant Price has just returned home. He talks about his homecoming. “And that was my homecoming. It was fine, I guess. Getting back feels like your first breath after nearly drowning. Even if it hurts, it’s good” (9). He compares being on the warfront to drowning here, and that coming back home was that breath of fresh air he needed. Things are much different at home, and they take an adjusting period. I think he’s also referring to the modesty of coming back. While being deployed is very difficult, there’s hundreds of thousands of Americans looking out for you and supporting you. Once coming back, that support isn’t as obvious and you return to just another civilian. Future short stories might describe that transition, and contrast the vast differences of being in war and then returning home to a very “regular” life with no support.
I like what you said about the homecoming quote and it's significant to the overall meaning of the book. I also thought that quote was important and I agree with what you said. While at first the transition might be hard and even painful as you struggle to assimilate back into regular life, it's good. It's a good environment and it is where you need to be. I also like what you said about future stories possibly describing a transition where their isn't the same support and love from a family. I think we saw it a little bit with the two soldiers who's wife didn't pick them up and the one who didn't know where his wife was. I think that situation would bring a new dynamic with new struggles but maybe in some ways would make the transition easier?
DeleteA piece of language that is significant to me personally, although not the most sophisticated of language, was when Vicar, the dog, is clearly in a lot of pain. The main character says to his wife Cheryl, “Goddamn it, Cheryl. It’s fucking time” (13). This quote really resonated with me, after putting my own dog down a little over a year ago. The main character knew he had to say something, because he could not watch his dog suffer anymore. For my family, as difficult as it was, we knew it was time to put our dog down down. She, too, was suffering, to the point that we had to hold her up to stand so she could use the bathroom. I can remember specifically my mom saying the words, “It’s time.” Those words hurt more than anything, but I knew it was true. They made me realize that I had to stop thinking about myself and the sadness I would face, but think about the agony my dog was experiencing.
ReplyDeleteA piece of language that I believe to be significant to the work is the quote, “I tell him we won’t let him die. I don’t know if I’m lying or not” (20). I think this quote speaks to the text because just from these two for chapters, the reader gets a sense that the life of a soldier in combat is entirely unknown. They live every moment without knowing what will happen next. He does not know if he is lying or not, because anything is possible. Maybe his comrade will not die from his injuries, but from an entirely different threat, like an unexpected explosion. Life in combat is completely unpredictable, and anything someone says can turn out to be entirely untrue. In war, one must completely abandon a normal, routine life, and get used to never knowing what to expect. Having expectations can be the reason someone is killed.
I appreciate your points about the second quote that you highlight. I agree that highlighting the experiences that soldier face in combat is a major theme. As far as having expectation and a routine lifestyle, I see certain similarities between the story and the current pandemic, in terms of the unpredictability and the ability to live not knowing what might happen next. I think there is also an element of perception versus fact, as far as understanding a situation. Personally, I have found that the book emphasizes the importance of separating opinion from certain immutable truths.
DeleteI like how you connect their loss to your own, (I am so sorry about your dog). It is very hard to let go of someone you love. I hear that phrase, “it’s time” “it was time” quite often. It is never something you want to hear, but to know that they do not have to suffer anymore, and they had love around them when they passed is one of the most comforting things. I believe that is what he meant when referring to the stranger killing his dog. I like how you connected his thought to the unpredictability of war. You never know what will happen.
DeleteI really like your response all around and I really like your second point! The life is a soldier is truly an unknown, but even in times like this where he honestly doesn't know if his friend is gonna make it, his first response is to comfort him. I imagine soldiers have to do that a lot, because in that moment all they really have is each other. I also really like how you said having expectations could be the reason someone is killed, that can be hard to wrap our head around living normally everyday, but in their circumstances it's entirely true. Very good response!
DeleteOne of the quotes that was meaningful for me came from the chapter, “Frago”, and it takes place right before the soldiers are about to enter into the TQ surgical to check on Sweet. “Yeah, that’s the most blood I’ve seen since I fucked your mom on her period. And then the guys laugh and bullshit a bit, and it breaks the mood that was settling” (25). I found this quote significant to daily life because I feel like when we are about to take part in something that might be nerve racking, uncomforting, or fearful it can often be useful to find ways to calm ourselves down. Whether it is by making a funny remark, or taking a deep breath, I feel like this quote gets to the point that for our emotional stability it is important sometimes to do whatever we find useful to stabilize our nerves. Especially because when we feel more in control of our emotions, it can be a lot easier to confront something challenging or that will force you to leave your comfort zone.
ReplyDeleteA quote that I found to be meaningful to the overall meaning of the book takes place in the beginning of the book when the narrator mentions, “And it’s not easy to kill people, either. Out of boot camp, Marines act like they’re gonna play Rambo, but it’s fucking serious, it’s professional” (3). I feel like this quote really speaks to the overall meaning of the work because I feel like the fact that soldiers have to live with the trauma that comes with literally killing another human being is a reality of war that is not portrayed enough by the media. It is one thing to play shooter videogames and practice on targets but being put in a position in which you have to kill someone you know nothing about, even if they are on the “bad side” can be very morally conflicting and it is a difficult reality many combat soldiers have to live with for the rest of their lives. I can understand why many combat soldiers can struggle with their identities after war and can feel morally confused. I feel like the problem with war is that too many innocent lives are lost, including those of many soldiers who in the end are only following orders from leaders who are worried about a country’s interests and not really keeping world peace.
I like what you said about both passages. I agree that we all have coping mechanism for when we are about to do or just did something that made us nervous or uncomfortable. When I started reading this novel, I was a little shocked by the vulgarity used by the author, but then I realized that this is a factual retelling. For many the language and crude jokes are a coping mechanism to distract them from the horrors they are going through. The uncomfortableness one might feel from a comment their comrade said, pales in comparison to the other uncomfortable things they have to hear and experience in war. I think this is also an important thing to remember for when soldiers return home. The language and overall attitude they have might still be a coping mechanism or simply routine speech they are used to. Even little things like being more understanding of where this language is coming from might help a soldiers transition home.
DeleteI think that the reality of the trauma of war is something people that have not gone through it will ever understand. I think that is something the text alludes to. People want to be Rambo to be glorified as a soldier. But morality is not something considered till people get to the point the have to kill someone.
DeleteMorally people will get confused because war is something that is incredibly hard. The people that are effected the most with war are not the ones that make the decisions about war.
The passage that was significant to me was on pg. 13, "And then you forget that moment, too, and focus on the next. And the next. And the next. " I think I often live my life in that way as well. I am someone who does not like to dwell on the past and likes to focus on the future. I think in some ways it is a coping mechanism to avoid me getting too stressed or overthinking every single thing in the past that I can't change. By focusing on the future and the next step of my life or even the next step of my day, I do not have time to dwell on the things I don't want to think about. While I do think their are benefits to living your life in this way, I think sometimes you push away memories that might hold more of an importance than you will realize in the moment. Especially for soldiers, in war they need that mindset to survive but back at home it could prevent them from living in the moment and enjoying the joy's of the present.
ReplyDeleteThe passage I felt held importance to the overall meaning of the novel was the section in "Redeployment" where the soldier is going to the mall with his wife and struggles with separating his mindset to that of in war. I think this is important because I think the novel as a whole really aims to shed light on not only what soldiers experience while deployed, but also when they get home. Their service follows them far longer than when they term is done and I think that is something important. The weight is carried for months if not years down the road. Even little things like going to the mall or having to put down your dog carry a new meaning after being enlisted; every aspect of your life you are forced to view with a different mindset-a mindset that is hard to change.
I like your personal connection! I also tend to have that mindset, I'm a very emotional person so I try not to let myself internalize things too much. I like how to also talked about the drawbacks of this mindset, especially when Phil was coming back to the United States and was supposed to be living "normally" again. I like how you mentioned pushing away memories that hold some importance. I think this is kind of what a lot of soldiers do when they come come, they try to push the memories and experiences away and then don't know how to cope with their emotions and what they've seen and it manifests in mental illnesses. Good response!
DeleteI like the quote you decided to talk about and you connect with. I feel like that quote also says something about the war mentality soldiers must have when in combat. They must have a lot of emotional endurance and it is taught to them that they forget about the past as if they cling on to difficult memories, it could cause a dwell on their emotional state. I think that that is something that is difficult and isn't emphasized about war enough. That you have to be very mentally tough, especially since overthinking your actions in the past could be overwhelming and affect your state of mind which is the last thing you want while at war.
DeleteOne passage that was personally significant to me was from “Frago”, and it is when Klay is talking to the lieutenant: “He says quietly, Sergeant, you ever seen anything like this before? Sometimes I forget it’s his first deployment” (22). After reading this passage, I realized that it demonstrated that even though these soldiers are trained to fight and kill, at the end of the day they are still humans. Every soldier has their own experiences, and this passage shows that not all soldiers experience the same things. Frequently emotion comes with experience, and I think this passage highlights Klay’s emotional intelligence very well.
ReplyDeleteA quote that I think is significant to the story is from “Redeployment”. Klay is at home, sitting on the couch: “I came up with a plan. Not a good plan, but a plan. Sometimes that’s enough” (14). This thought occurs when he is about to euthanize his dog. He is clearly in a difficult situation, especially having just returned from a war zone, but he is still able to realize that it is important to make a decision, even if it is not the ideal decision or the perfect solution. Having transitioned back to a civilian lifestyle, he will have the added difficulty of making decisions from that perspective, although his military background will certainly provide an interesting viewpoint on conflicts and issues that might otherwise be uneventful. I think this theme of being able to move forward and not dwell on difficult points throughout difficult ordeals will be a defining part of future stories, as well as character development.
I like the idea you bring up about decision making and how it is part of life that we have to learn to make difficult decisions sometimes. We never know what the results of our decisions we hold, but it is important that we decide upon what we believe is correct, even if it means sometimes going against the status quo. I also agree with you when you mention that military soldiers at war have to learn to move forward and not think about the past as that could be something that distracts them from staying emotionally in control of themselves.
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ReplyDeleteThe language that resonates with me personally is when they are eating cobbler and Dyer is struggling to eat his. He has just seen traumatic events, and peoples death. It makes me think about how they can just continue on after that, but they also have to continue. “Sit back down, I’m across from Dyer and he’s looking at his ice cream melting into the cobbler. No good. I put a spoon in his hand. You’ve got to do the basic things” (27). Clearly Dyer is struggling to cope, and he has to help him because he has been through deployment before. He knows how it feels to be in Dryer shoes. Both of these men have a job that come with emotional consequences, and having to move through horrid things is something that he has learned. It is truly amazing that he can help Dyer, and that Dyer is willing to receive the help.
When he is coming home from his first deployment he often feels off in the two sections of the book. It is very different for him to switch between deployment, and civilian life. “And that was my homecoming. It was fine, I guess. Getting back feels like your first breath after nearly drowning. Even if it hurts, it’s good” (9). Deployment is extremely stressful for all people, and getting back to life must feel relieved. He always has to carry a gun for safety, and then to not need protection, and then not having to scan the surrounding area for people to kill you. The relief that not having to work under those circumstances must be great. He must also be feeling lost with those moments. I believe both of those feel, and that type of pressure will be very evident throughout the rest of the novel.
I thought the part about the pie was really well written. It was very subtle but still showed how Dyer was impacted by the events that had passes. I think that Klay was trying to show how the war impacts the mental health of people and how thought their injury may not be physical they are still stopped from doing things that would otherwise be good like eating pie (who doesn't like pie). I like how Klay was able to highlight this aspect of war in a way that made it seem like Dyer had changed and not a stereotypical depressed person.
DeleteOne piece of “Redeployment” that really resonated with me was on the second to last page: “Staring at Vicar, it was the same thing. This feeling, like, something in me is going to break if I do this. And I thought of Cheryl bringing Vicar to the vet, of some stranger putting his hands on my dog, and I thought, I have to do this” (15). This felt very personal to me because I’ve had to have a few family dogs put down, as our family has always had dogs since before I was born. I’m sure we’ve all dealt with something like this, but that doesn’t make the pain any less significant or real for each individual. Having a dog put down is truly losing a family member in my mind. While some people could never put down their own dog, me among those people, some people can’t even be in the same room while their dog is being put down. Although it’s a painful sight, I’ve always felt like I owe it to any animal to be there during their last moments. I can’t bear the thought of my dog being put down and in his last moments looking around and wondering where I am. I want to be there especially in such a vulnerable, and perhaps the most vulnerable in an animal's life.
ReplyDeleteA piece I felt was significant to the book’s overall meaning was on the very last page of “Frago”: “Sit back down, I’m across from Dyer and he’s looking at his ice cream melting into the cobbler. No good. I put a spoon in his hand. You’ve got to do the basic things” (27). I felt that this piece was significant to the overall meaning of the book because of Phil’s adjustment back to “normal” life after being in the marines especially having witnessed all the things he did. After just having watched Hajji die and seeing the condition of the others after being brutally beaten on camera, Phil still was strong enough to continue and do the everyday things, and even enjoy some cobbler with ice cream and encourage Dyer to do the same. This shows just how used to violence and death Phil was at that point. Personally, after seeing that I don’t think I’d be able to eat anything, or think about anything else. While they were at the hospital earlier, the LT asked if Phil had ever seen anything like this, he had. He then tells the LT not to let himself think about it until they were back in the States. This shows his mindset of “on to the next thing” that he had while deployed, to not let himself think about or internalize anything.
The part with Vicar also made a impact on me. Dogs really are a part of the family and the thought of losing them is so hard. I think it was an interesting choice that Klay made having the character of the story kill his dog. I think I understand where the character was coming from but it was still really hard for me to read. The detail the he put into the story made it feel so real and my heart broke for Cheryl and Sgt Price. But mostly for Vicar. Though I know he was not real I hope that he felt no fear or pain. I could never kill a pet in that way as many people couldn't. So maybe this part was there to show how the war had changed him.
DeleteIn the second short story Frago a part the stood out to me was after Dyer had shot a man in the face. This man was clearly very injured and the ‘enemy’ however he was still working to help him. “PFC Dyer’s working on the hajji he shot in the face. I see he’s pulling apart his own IFAK to get gauze for the hajji. Not supposed to do that. Your IFAK is for you” (20). This stood out to me because it reminds me that in the grander picture we are all just people. Dyer wanted to save this man who moments before was the person he needed to take down. Not only did he want to save him but he was also using his private supplies (IFAK means Individual First Aid Kit). It reminded me of the sensitives of war and how sometimes people’s emotions take charge even when they have to be ‘tough’.
ReplyDeleteA passage that I thought was significant for the book was in the first story Redeployment. “I hated the past 7 months and the only thing that kept me going was the Marines I served with and the thought of coming home, I started feeling like I wanted to go back. Because of f*** all this” (11). This line really struck me and I think that it will be a theme that will come up in other parts of this book. Even though this character wanted to go home so badly while he was away that feeling of being home is so overwhelming that he feels like he wants to go back. I think this must be common for many people who come home from war. The constant fear that they feel when they are severing becomes the new normal so when they come home 'normal' life feels wrong in a way.
A sentence that has a significant meaning of the work in redeployment is a line foreshadowing that operation scooby will be brought back home. “Vicar and Operation Scooby, all the way home”(3). I thought this was interesting because at the end of the story he kills his own dog instead of having a vet put him down. The story is showing how when one gets back home it is a deployment of its own. It is about reintegrating into their communities and how life is not the same and never will be the same as it was. I think this first chapter is showing how life from war is not separate from life at home; they both affect each other.
ReplyDeleteA sentence that has significant meaning to me is at the end of “Frago” “You’ve got to do the basic things”.(27) This is meaningful to me because it is true to move forward you need to keep on living one step at a time. Especially in this time the key is to just keep doing basic things. In the story this was trying to help someone move forward during war. Basic things are what keep most people going. Eating, drinking, and living are what actually keep people living.